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Introducing the five destinations of Premier League Soccer
In the build up to the much awaited Premier League Soccer competition, Goal.com looks into the five destinations chosen for the tournament..
30-Jan-2012 2:33:00 AM
By Anirvan Sengupta
For more than a century, football has held its special position within the culture of Bengal. The entire nation might be wrapped in the craze of cricket, but in this part of India, football holds its own corner in people’s hearts. The local rivalry, East Bengal- Mohun Bagan is actually referred among the greatest club rivalries in global football .
There have been a number of stars who have played at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, including Pele (with his New York Cosmos side in 1977), Lionel Messi (captaining Argentina for the first time in September 2011) and Oliver Kahn (playing his farewell match in Setember 2008).
With such history, it seemed apt that if an IPL style football tournament were to exist within just a state, it would be within West Bengal. And with stars such as Robert Pires, Hernan Crespo, Robbie Fowler and Fabio Cannavaro as icon players it seems that the aim of the organizers and the dreams of local fanatics ie, to strengthen the internal infrastructure and introduce international quality within the state, will be fulfilled. Each of the 6 icon players (the other two being Jay Jay Okocha and Juan Pablo Sorin) will have to be bought by one of 5 participating cities and towns of Bengal, having a salary cap of $ 600, 000, In this article, Goal.com presents the 5 hosts of the inaugural edition of the Premier League Soccer (Bengal)
Kolkata: The Capital of West Bengal, Kolkata is a city known for its diverse culture, colorful streets, and having a laid back and friendly attitude. It is home to both the Salt Lake Stadium, the largest soccer stadium in terms of capacity, and the Eden Gardens, which many cricketers consider to be the most intimidating in the world.
Educated localities are well aware about topics of news, sports, politics, current affairs, films, and other forms of media and technology. Being the only metropolitan city in East India, Kolkata is host to numerous shopping malls, cinema multiplexes, discotheques, 5 star hotels and restaurants serving international cuisine.
But unlike other metropolitan cities Kolkata has a predominant street culture; probably one of the reasons for it being the cheapest metro city in India. Here you have the option of gossip over the cheapest of roadside eateries, people sipping tea in shacks beside a tree, and travelling the length of the city through public transport for as little as 30 rupees. And if you have a sweet tooth, Kolkata is paradise with every street having its special sweet and snacks store. If you want a cheap, warm, homely city to stay in then Kolkata is the place for you.
Places To Visit: Hooghly Riverside, Kumartuli (where clay idols are made round the year),
Indian Archaeological Musuem, Victoria Memorial, The old lanes of North Kolkata
Shopping: New Market, Sudder Street, Malls like South City Mall, Forum Mall (South) City Centre, City Centre II ( absolute end of city)
EATING: Bills can range between Rs 30 (Street food, predominant throughout the city) to Rs 2000 at 5 star hotel restaurants, such as Taj Bengal, ITC Sonar Bngla, Oberoi Grand LODGING: The above mentioned are 5 stars. Affordable rooms for as low as Rs 400 per night can be found at Sudder Street.
Party Zone: Park Street. Quality restaurants, discotheques, and bright lights it personifies the vibrant attitude of Kolkata.
Siliguri: One of the most prominent residential hill stations of Bengal, Siliguri is 462 km away from Kolkata and happens to be the second largest city in the state. It is a small town which has seen development at an incredible pace. Previously the city was dominated by three T’s Tea, Timber and Tourism but right now it is going through a phase of Real Estate boom which has led to tea estates being cut down for expansion of the township.
The new government has tried its best to attract tourism by improving upon the wonderful nature beauty Siliguri has to offer as well as greater advertisement. Localities favor table tennis as their favorite sport. Shopping malls coexist with street markets, and there are a wide variety of hotels as well. All of this has led to people being introduced to the concept of spending money.
Places To Visit: Coronation Bridge, Surya Sen Park, Salugara Monastery
Lodging: Sinclaire’s (a famous 3 star hotel), Hotel Heritage, Hotel Prakash
Shopping: Hong Kong Market, Biddhan Seth, Shree Lal for street shopping. Malls such as City Centre mall, Cosmos mall, City mall are also present.
Eating: Highly recommended is the Fish and Rice from Kalpan Pie’s. Also for those who enjoy fast food, Bombay Stores is the place to head to.
Unique Point: On a clear night you can see the entire Himalayan mountain range from Siliguri.
Barasat: Located 28 kms, just beyond the periphery of Kolkata lies the town of Barasat. To be precise the town lies within the area of Greater Calcutta, which makes it very well connected as the airport is nearby. Also connected to both the major railway stations Howrah and Sealdah, Barasat has its importance on the road map as it is placed on National Highway 34 which connects India to Bangladesh and is also the gateway to commute into the North-East.
Unlike most towns, Barasat does not have a street culture. Locals are excited about it turning into an educational hub with Engineering and Management institutes springing up along with the advent of Adamas International School. There are numerous domestic retail chains such as Pantaloons and Relaince Retail outlets as well as lesser known outlets such as Vishal and Regent Station. There are a number of places to visit around Barasat, including Dhanyakuria, and the Ichamati river. Barasat is also host to the state of the art Kalpataru hospital, which offers a trauma care unit.
Places To Visit: Rose Valley Park, Dhanyakuria (5-10 kms away), the Ichamati river.
Lodging: Barasat has a number of Farmhouses which can be utilised. For the better off, there is the Swissotel in Rajarhat Kolkata, which is not that far away from Barasat.
Shopping: National retail chains such as Reliance outlets, Reliance More, Pantaloons, Vishal Mega-Mart, Regent Station.
Eating: Taste tends to lean towards Indian cuisine, with roadside Frankie outlets popular too. Also the emergence of Keventer’s has given the town a new taste of fast food.
Unique Spot: Rose Valley Park. Locals love this vast expanse of green.
Durgapur: Durgapur can lay claim to be among the best planned towns in West Bengal. The brainchild of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, it is located 160 kms away from Kolkata and is home to one of the largest industrial units in Bengal, the Durgapur Steel Plant. The city is divided into roughly two parts, left and right. The left is on the National Highway from where the road straight ahead hits Assansol, while the right side consists of the commercial and industrial parts.
This area has malls, discotheques, the Mohun Bagan Academy A-Zone Township and a number of colleges. Food here is slightly costlier than that of Kolkata. So the students thrive on street food. It contains the largest stretch of road filled with Automobile items; Bhiringi. It also has a very large commercial market: City centre, along with a couple of well themed parks. But the best bit is that people are of the opinion that it is one of the most friendly cities in Bengal.
Places To Visit: Kumaramgalam Park and Troika Park have a number of rides and possess
a large area. Also the Exotica Park is coming up under construction.
Lodging: Durgapur has a number of Hotels such as Reliance, Rose Valley, City Residency.
Shopping: There are a number of malls such as Junction and the Bengal Srishti Mall. Also street shopping can be done at the Benichiti market.
Eating: There are a number of Indian, Chinese as well as multi-cuisine restaurants throughout the stretch of the city. But for a sample of local Bengali cuisine, the Peerless Inn comes as highly recommended. Also gaining prominence is the Hotel Luxor Food Mart.
Party Point: Durgapur is among the very few cities outside Kolkata to have a discotheque, Flame. It also has a hangout spot called Chai-Break which happens to be a hookah bar and restaurant.
Howrah: The twin city of Kolkata, it is separated from Bengal’s capital by the Hooghly river. A number of bridges separate both cities, which is home to one of the most important railway stations in India. But with the advent of malls and industries, there is a modern culture creeping into Howrah. Initially a port city, Howrah is gradually showing change in tastes and culture.
Nearby Shibpur is home to the largest canopy in the world, the Grand Banyan tree. The food culture is mostly restaurant based and it's proximity to a number of religious places like Belur Math add to the overall charm of the city.
Places To Visit: Botanical Gardens, Belur Math, The Gadiari confluence point.
Lodging: A Number of hotels with varied budgets such as Hotel Balaji, Hotel Meghdoot, The New Ashoka Hotel.
Shopping: Avani Riverside Mall, RD Mall, Forum Mall. The closest part of Kolkata from Howrah is Burrabazar, a large wholesale market for buying traditional Indian sarees and cheap jewelry.
Eating: A number of restaurants including the Marwar veg Restaurant, Suruchi (for authentic Bengali cuisine), New Mirch Masala, The Majestic UNIQUE POINT: The Howrah Station, the gateway of Eastern and South-Eastern railway lines into Howrah and Kolkata. Also the Grand Banyan tree for its sheer size and sense of enormity that it emits.
There have been a number of stars who have played at Kolkata’s Salt Lake Stadium, including Pele (with his New York Cosmos side in 1977), Lionel Messi (captaining Argentina for the first time in September 2011) and Oliver Kahn (playing his farewell match in Setember 2008).
With such history, it seemed apt that if an IPL style football tournament were to exist within just a state, it would be within West Bengal. And with stars such as Robert Pires, Hernan Crespo, Robbie Fowler and Fabio Cannavaro as icon players it seems that the aim of the organizers and the dreams of local fanatics ie, to strengthen the internal infrastructure and introduce international quality within the state, will be fulfilled. Each of the 6 icon players (the other two being Jay Jay Okocha and Juan Pablo Sorin) will have to be bought by one of 5 participating cities and towns of Bengal, having a salary cap of $ 600, 000, In this article, Goal.com presents the 5 hosts of the inaugural edition of the Premier League Soccer (Bengal)
Kolkata: The Capital of West Bengal, Kolkata is a city known for its diverse culture, colorful streets, and having a laid back and friendly attitude. It is home to both the Salt Lake Stadium, the largest soccer stadium in terms of capacity, and the Eden Gardens, which many cricketers consider to be the most intimidating in the world.
Kolkata Is Rich In Her Heritage
Educated localities are well aware about topics of news, sports, politics, current affairs, films, and other forms of media and technology. Being the only metropolitan city in East India, Kolkata is host to numerous shopping malls, cinema multiplexes, discotheques, 5 star hotels and restaurants serving international cuisine.
But unlike other metropolitan cities Kolkata has a predominant street culture; probably one of the reasons for it being the cheapest metro city in India. Here you have the option of gossip over the cheapest of roadside eateries, people sipping tea in shacks beside a tree, and travelling the length of the city through public transport for as little as 30 rupees. And if you have a sweet tooth, Kolkata is paradise with every street having its special sweet and snacks store. If you want a cheap, warm, homely city to stay in then Kolkata is the place for you.
Places To Visit: Hooghly Riverside, Kumartuli (where clay idols are made round the year),
Indian Archaeological Musuem, Victoria Memorial, The old lanes of North Kolkata
Shopping: New Market, Sudder Street, Malls like South City Mall, Forum Mall (South) City Centre, City Centre II ( absolute end of city)
EATING: Bills can range between Rs 30 (Street food, predominant throughout the city) to Rs 2000 at 5 star hotel restaurants, such as Taj Bengal, ITC Sonar Bngla, Oberoi Grand LODGING: The above mentioned are 5 stars. Affordable rooms for as low as Rs 400 per night can be found at Sudder Street.
Party Zone: Park Street. Quality restaurants, discotheques, and bright lights it personifies the vibrant attitude of Kolkata.
Siliguri: One of the most prominent residential hill stations of Bengal, Siliguri is 462 km away from Kolkata and happens to be the second largest city in the state. It is a small town which has seen development at an incredible pace. Previously the city was dominated by three T’s Tea, Timber and Tourism but right now it is going through a phase of Real Estate boom which has led to tea estates being cut down for expansion of the township.
Siliguri Is A Favourite Spot Of Tourists
The new government has tried its best to attract tourism by improving upon the wonderful nature beauty Siliguri has to offer as well as greater advertisement. Localities favor table tennis as their favorite sport. Shopping malls coexist with street markets, and there are a wide variety of hotels as well. All of this has led to people being introduced to the concept of spending money.
Places To Visit: Coronation Bridge, Surya Sen Park, Salugara Monastery
Lodging: Sinclaire’s (a famous 3 star hotel), Hotel Heritage, Hotel Prakash
Shopping: Hong Kong Market, Biddhan Seth, Shree Lal for street shopping. Malls such as City Centre mall, Cosmos mall, City mall are also present.
Eating: Highly recommended is the Fish and Rice from Kalpan Pie’s. Also for those who enjoy fast food, Bombay Stores is the place to head to.
Unique Point: On a clear night you can see the entire Himalayan mountain range from Siliguri.
Barasat: Located 28 kms, just beyond the periphery of Kolkata lies the town of Barasat. To be precise the town lies within the area of Greater Calcutta, which makes it very well connected as the airport is nearby. Also connected to both the major railway stations Howrah and Sealdah, Barasat has its importance on the road map as it is placed on National Highway 34 which connects India to Bangladesh and is also the gateway to commute into the North-East.
Barasat Does Not Have A Street Culture
Unlike most towns, Barasat does not have a street culture. Locals are excited about it turning into an educational hub with Engineering and Management institutes springing up along with the advent of Adamas International School. There are numerous domestic retail chains such as Pantaloons and Relaince Retail outlets as well as lesser known outlets such as Vishal and Regent Station. There are a number of places to visit around Barasat, including Dhanyakuria, and the Ichamati river. Barasat is also host to the state of the art Kalpataru hospital, which offers a trauma care unit.
Places To Visit: Rose Valley Park, Dhanyakuria (5-10 kms away), the Ichamati river.
Lodging: Barasat has a number of Farmhouses which can be utilised. For the better off, there is the Swissotel in Rajarhat Kolkata, which is not that far away from Barasat.
Shopping: National retail chains such as Reliance outlets, Reliance More, Pantaloons, Vishal Mega-Mart, Regent Station.
Eating: Taste tends to lean towards Indian cuisine, with roadside Frankie outlets popular too. Also the emergence of Keventer’s has given the town a new taste of fast food.
Unique Spot: Rose Valley Park. Locals love this vast expanse of green.
Durgapur: Durgapur can lay claim to be among the best planned towns in West Bengal. The brainchild of Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, it is located 160 kms away from Kolkata and is home to one of the largest industrial units in Bengal, the Durgapur Steel Plant. The city is divided into roughly two parts, left and right. The left is on the National Highway from where the road straight ahead hits Assansol, while the right side consists of the commercial and industrial parts.
Durgapur Is Famous For It's Steel Plant
This area has malls, discotheques, the Mohun Bagan Academy A-Zone Township and a number of colleges. Food here is slightly costlier than that of Kolkata. So the students thrive on street food. It contains the largest stretch of road filled with Automobile items; Bhiringi. It also has a very large commercial market: City centre, along with a couple of well themed parks. But the best bit is that people are of the opinion that it is one of the most friendly cities in Bengal.
Places To Visit: Kumaramgalam Park and Troika Park have a number of rides and possess
a large area. Also the Exotica Park is coming up under construction.
Lodging: Durgapur has a number of Hotels such as Reliance, Rose Valley, City Residency.
Shopping: There are a number of malls such as Junction and the Bengal Srishti Mall. Also street shopping can be done at the Benichiti market.
Eating: There are a number of Indian, Chinese as well as multi-cuisine restaurants throughout the stretch of the city. But for a sample of local Bengali cuisine, the Peerless Inn comes as highly recommended. Also gaining prominence is the Hotel Luxor Food Mart.
Party Point: Durgapur is among the very few cities outside Kolkata to have a discotheque, Flame. It also has a hangout spot called Chai-Break which happens to be a hookah bar and restaurant.
Howrah: The twin city of Kolkata, it is separated from Bengal’s capital by the Hooghly river. A number of bridges separate both cities, which is home to one of the most important railway stations in India. But with the advent of malls and industries, there is a modern culture creeping into Howrah. Initially a port city, Howrah is gradually showing change in tastes and culture.
The Identity Of Howrah: The Howrah Bridge
Nearby Shibpur is home to the largest canopy in the world, the Grand Banyan tree. The food culture is mostly restaurant based and it's proximity to a number of religious places like Belur Math add to the overall charm of the city.
Places To Visit: Botanical Gardens, Belur Math, The Gadiari confluence point.
Lodging: A Number of hotels with varied budgets such as Hotel Balaji, Hotel Meghdoot, The New Ashoka Hotel.
Shopping: Avani Riverside Mall, RD Mall, Forum Mall. The closest part of Kolkata from Howrah is Burrabazar, a large wholesale market for buying traditional Indian sarees and cheap jewelry.
Eating: A number of restaurants including the Marwar veg Restaurant, Suruchi (for authentic Bengali cuisine), New Mirch Masala, The Majestic UNIQUE POINT: The Howrah Station, the gateway of Eastern and South-Eastern railway lines into Howrah and Kolkata. Also the Grand Banyan tree for its sheer size and sense of enormity that it emits.
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